The lesser tube-nosed bat (''Nyctimene minutus'') is a species of megabat in the family Pteropodidae. It is native to two of the Maluku Islands (Spice Islands) in northern Indonesia.

Taxonomy

The lesser tube-nosed bat was described as a new species in 1910 by Danish mammalogist Knud Andersen. The holotype had been collected by

Alfred Russel Wallace Alfred Russel Wallace (8 January 1823 – 7 November 1913) was a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist, biologist and illustrator. He is best known for independently conceiving the theory of evolution through natural se ...

Tondano Tondano is the capital of Minahasa Regency, mainly in the district of West Tondano (Kecamatan Tondano Barat), in Sulawesi, Indonesia. The city is located in the highlands on the shores of Lake Tondano near Mount Tondano, and enjoys cool tempe ...

, Indonesia. Two

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

are recognized, with Andersen also the taxonomic authority: ''N. m. minutus'' and ''N. m. varius''.

Description

The lesser tube-nosed bat has a forearm length of approximately .

Range and status

The bat is endemic to the mountainous forests of Buru and

Seram Island Seram (formerly spelled Ceram; also Seran or Serang) is the largest and main island of Maluku province of Indonesia, despite Ambon Island's historical importance. It is located just north of the smaller Ambon Island and a few other adjacent is ...

s, in Maluku Province. It is not found on nearby

Ambon Island Ambon Island is part of the Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The island has an area of and is mountainous, well watered, and fertile. Ambon Island consists of two territories: the city of Ambon, Maluku, Ambon to the south and various districts ('' ...

. It has been documented at a range of elevations from above sea level. Its habitat is mid-montane forests. In 2008, it was evaluated as a vulnerable species by the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1765915 Nyctimene (genus) Bats of Indonesia Endemic fauna of Indonesia Endemic fauna of Seram Island Fauna of Buru Vulnerable fauna of Asia Vulnerable fauna of Oceania Mammals described in 1910 Taxa named by Knud Andersen Taxonomy articles created by Polbot